Seamless Journeys
Travel knows no boundaries
Local Travel
WISHING YOU HAPPY PLANNING
The " LOCAL TRAVEL " here, stands for both EXTERNAL & INTERNAL travel. For eg. You have reached Greece and want to understand how to go from city to city ( EXTERNAL) and how to sight see within each city (INTERNAL). Lets first talk about EXTERNAL TRAVEL. Like I said, by this I mean, from one country/city/town/village to another country/city/town/village within the chosen destination. Local travel can be different in different parts of the world. In some places Public transport may be feasible, while in few others it may not be advisable . Trains are not always available everywhere. In some places Buses may be a comfortable and favourite mode of transport. If nothing is available, you can go in for private transfers. So basically research a bit before you decide on your path and a final way to get from place to place, most importantly keeping in mind your group size. Just trust me, travel like a local wherever and whenever possible. It gives you that wonderful feel , totally different from that of a normal guided tour. I vouch that you won't regret this choice.
Having said that, I suggest you browse a bit to get familiar with a few details and current happenings of the place and make " safety" your top priority. I also mentioned under HOW TO PLAN that ROME2RIO is a terrific website that provides a lot of information. I also suggest you read to find out how the locals get around. There are many local "travel enthusiasts " who blog enough and more information about their area. You could directly contact them beforehand to get some information. You will be surprised at the variety of cheaper options available most times, which are also comfortable.
Now talking about INTERNAL travel, a lot depends on your itinerary. Few places are an easy walk around by foot, few by local transport and others by private vehicles, a few others by using all of the above. Also, consider hiring a vehicle, if its feasible. You could appoint a driver OR self-drive too. It could turn out cheaper when the costs are shared with the group. In that way you would ensure some savings. I consider the following options generally before making my choice of travel, be it EXTERNAL or INTERNAL.
1 : COST - Carefully compare costs between different modes of transport available and choose the best and comfortable option for you.
2. TIME - Time taken to reach your destination may differ in different modes of transport. The short time taken may not necessarily be a lot of fun always. Make a wise choice. Also, a lot depends on the hour of the day you choose to travel in. Travelling within safe hours is always a must, especially with women and children.
3. ACCESSIBILITY : It doesn't just stop at choosing your mode of transport, unless it is a private vehicle. You also need to consider how to gain access to it. Remember , these little things add up to your costs. Try to stay closer to public transport , if it exists.
4. EASE OF BOOKING AND DETAILS : Wherever possible, it is best to book in advance. The ease of booking beforehand has its own advantages 1. It helps avoid disappointment and last minute confusions. 2. Some tickets booked in advance cost much lesser. 3. It helps avoid queuing up or seeking directions on how to buy your tickets and therefore helps save a lot of time. You need to do it to believe it.
5. SAFETY : How safe is your chosen mode ? what time of the day are you travelling ?How are you going to get further ahead from your point of destination . Read reviews on specific private hires in case you plan to take on one. From my experience, generally the customer reviews help a lot. On that note, once you use any service locally be sure you rate and review it honestly at any point in time, to help other travellers, just the same way .
6 : FITNESS LEVELS : A group can be varied. Not all times we have people of the similar ages travelling. Keep in mind the comfort level of the seniors and infants. For eg. You would be better off opting for a private vehicle for a 2 hour drive , which may be a bit more expensive, but will ensure your transport from point to point, other than opting for a bus or publicly shared vehicle, which may need further transport or long walks to gain access.
7 : CHOICE OF ACCOMMODATION : I prefer staying closer to public transport wherever possible and safe. In that way, we wouldn't need to spend much on to and fro transport to reach airports, bus or railway stations. If you plan to self-drive then nothing like it.
These are the points I consider before making the local travel bookings. Once the tickets are booked, carefully maintaining the whole lot of booked tickets is the next logical step. Maintain a folder to hold pre-booked, preferably printed tickets, in the order of travel ( date wise ), to avoid confusion. It works. Being organised never pinches you.
Most times, internal travel cannot be booked beforehand. In that case, read and stay well prepared to go about booking once you get there. For eg. An unlimited local transport day ticket in FLORENCE, Italy, is available in local TOBACCO shops called TABACCHI, other than the KIOSKS installed in various places. Reading helped knowing this beforehand and therefore we saved time on some "hither-tither".
This is just an example, not that most of Florence needed usage of local transport. A few bus rides around the city made it a fun ordeal, for a very small price.